Mums ‘are worth £37,000 a year’

Mums do a 71-hour week and are worth a salary of around £37,000 a year, according to research for Practical Parenting magazine.

The research, based on a study of 3,000 mums across the UK and carred out by mobile phone network Three, found the average mother spends more than 10 horus a day on childcare, homework and domestic duties.

The cost of hiring a nanny, cleaner and tutor to do what a mother does would be at least £37,00 a year, according to the study. Cleaning the house and cooking takes up the bulk of an average mother’s time at 69 minutes a day, but tidying up after children and the laundry take just over an hour each.

Other duties include getting children ready for school and nursery [55 minutes], putting children to bed [53 minutes], homework help [47 minutes] and washing up and shopping [42 minutes]. Ironing, doing the school run and taking children to different activities outside school take one hour and 51 minutes.

A third of mums questioned said they get less than six hours sleep a night and 83 per cent have less than an hour to themselves a day, with most saying having an extra hour to relax would make for a much happier life. Only one in six said they were happy with their lifestyle.

Sylvia Chind, from Three, said: “Our study has revealed the massive number of hours mothers work to ensure their children have the best possible upbringing. The modern mum is under a huge amount of pressure, and sadly their contribution to society often goes unnoticed.

“A mother could earn £37,000 a year if they were paid the going rate for family and domestic duties.

“The fact that many of these mums also hold down a paid job is incredibly impressive.”

Daniella Delaney, editor of Practical Parenting and Pregnancy magazine, said: “When you’ve a young child at home you’re constantly on the go and it’s a job that mums rarely get any thanks or recognition for. They’re the unsung heroines of our world.”